http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~28569~2683317,00.html"I know there were about three teams that were interested," he said, and although Nomura declined to identify the other two, Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox are believed to have expressed interest in Nakamura in recent weeks.Norihiro Nakamura's career numbers in Japan:
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=55

Kogs35

01-31-2005, 03:37 PM

Gene Honda "Here are your 2005 Tokyo White Sox of Chicago!!"

Whitesox029

01-31-2005, 03:38 PM

Welcome back Jabroni. I see you've been busy already today.:rolleyes:
I don't know about Nakamura. I've heard he's not big on the 'team' thing, and I saw a picture of him...and for a third baseman he doesn't exactly look....lithe. He weighs 92 kg. I don't know what that is in pounds, but by comparison, Gooch is 84 kg and Shingo is 74 kg.

Jabroni

01-31-2005, 03:43 PM

Welcome back Jabroni. I see you've been busy already today.:rolleyes:
I don't know about Nakamura. I've heard he's not big on the 'team' thing, and I saw a picture of him...and for a third baseman he doesn't exactly look....lithe. He weighs 92 kg. I don't know what that is in pounds, but by comparison, Gooch is 84 kg and Shingo is 74 kg.
EDIT: Nakamura is actually 5'10", 203 pounds.

Whitesox029

01-31-2005, 03:46 PM

Nakamura is 5'9", 203 pounds.
I knew you'd come through. That said, I think that if we enter the season with Crede as our #8 or 9 hitter and defensively-decent 3B, we'll be just fine. I don't think Kenny can pull enough money out of JR's hat to sign this guy anyway.

NSSoxFan

01-31-2005, 03:51 PM

I think Joe is going to have a good year this year. .270 20+HR 80+RBI

Jabroni

01-31-2005, 03:51 PM

I knew you'd come through. That said, I think that if we enter the season with Crede as our #8 or 9 hitter and defensively-decent 3B, we'll be just fine. I don't think Kenny can pull enough money out of JR's hat to sign this guy anyway.Well, the thing is that MLB teams have to first place an anonymous bid on Nakamura to win the right of signing him. That bid money goes to the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Then the team that has the highest bid gets to offer Nakamura a contract. He can obviously either accept it or not. Most sources I've heard say that Nakamura will probably only get around $500,000...One such report said that in order to fulfill his dream of playing in the major leagues, Nakamura would be willing to play for about $500,000 annually -- a 90 percent cut from his 2004 salary with the Kintetsu Buffaloes, roughly $5 million.So Nakamura would be a very low cost backup at 3rd base incase Crede struggles. Hell, we're paying Timo $1 million to be our 4th or 5th outfielder. I don't see a problem with giving Nakamura $500,000.

EDIT: Nakamura is actually 5'10", 203 pounds.

HoustonAstros967

01-31-2005, 04:00 PM

The Sox have put together a good team and i think that they should stop while they are ahead.

Whitesox029

01-31-2005, 04:01 PM

Well, the thing is that MLB teams have to first place an anonymous bid on Nakamura to win the right of signing him. That bid money goes to the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Then the team that has the highest bid gets to offer Nakamura a contract. He can obviously either accept it or not. Most sources I've heard say that Nakamura will probably only get around $500,000...So Nakamura would be a very low cost backup at 3rd base incase Crede struggles. Hell, we're paying Timo $1 million to be our 4th or 5th outfielder. I don't see a problem with giving Nakamura $500,000.

EDIT: Nakamura is actually 5'10", 203 pounds.
I don't think the Dodgers would let us have him for just $500,000. They are pretty interested from what I hear.

Jabroni

01-31-2005, 04:01 PM

The Sox have put together a good team and i think that they should stop while they are ahead.How would adding a player hurt the team? :?:

FightingBillini

01-31-2005, 04:07 PM

My only problem with this move is that we dont have room for him on the roster. The way this team is contructed, we cant afford to carry 2 players who can only play 3B. As it is there is only one player on the team that can play SS on a regular basis. If Nakamura can also play SS, then KW should seriously look at it.

mjmcend

01-31-2005, 04:09 PM

How would adding a player hurt the team? :?:

Becuase someone has to leave the team then, and a backup third basemen is not more important than anyone that is projected to be on our 25 man roster.

PAPChiSox729

01-31-2005, 04:10 PM

I think that the White Sox have hyped Crede too much to give up on him after just two full seasons. And really, with Crede as our eighth or ninth place hitter, I really don't think that he is that much of a glaring offensive hole with the acquisitions of Pierzynski and Iguchi. I am perfectly content with Crede going into the season as our starting 3rd baseman.

Hangar18

01-31-2005, 04:10 PM

Gene Honda "Here are your 2005 Tokyo White Sox of Chicago!!"

hehhehehehehehehehhehehe, I am laughing my arse off right now!!!!
Can you imagine the PR possibilities and the Coup this would be for the SOX?
The White SOX would become so popular (moreso than they are now)
in Japan and the other asian nations ........ wow.

In other news, Hangar18 just took his 1st lesson in Japanese, and reports lesson was much harder than he expected, But is very excited and promises to be able to converse with Shingo in the BullPen by Opening Day .........:gulp:

I want Mags back

01-31-2005, 04:16 PM

Welcome back Jabroni. I see you've been busy already today.:rolleyes:
I don't know about Nakamura. I've heard he's not big on the 'team' thing, and I saw a picture of him...and for a third baseman he doesn't exactly look....lithe. He weighs 92 kg. I don't know what that is in pounds, but by comparison, Gooch is 84 kg and Shingo is 74 kg.

Gooch and Shingo both are very skinny

!Winning=Fung!

01-31-2005, 04:17 PM

Disregarding money, it would be great, especially for our international fan base. Just wonder how much he is asking for. But that should be Reinsdorf's problem right? I mean, we have been complaining about his cheapness.

Bottom Line: If it makes our team better go for it Kenny!

Jabroni

01-31-2005, 04:20 PM

Gooch and Shingo both are very skinnyI wouldn't exactly say that Iguchi is skinny at 5'9", 185 pounds. Ross Gload is listed as 6'0", 185 pounds.

SoxFanTillDeath

01-31-2005, 05:20 PM

I wouldn't exactly say that Iguchi is skinny at 5'9", 185 pounds. Ross Gload is listed as 6'0", 185 pounds.

Wanna hear skinny? I'm 6'3" and 170 lbs. I lost 27 pounds due to mono a few months ago and have been unable to gain much of it back.:redneck

RichFitztightly

01-31-2005, 05:32 PM

I wouldn't exactly say that Iguchi is skinny at 5'9", 185 pounds. Ross Gload is listed as 6'0", 185 pounds.

Ross Gload is 6 Feet!? Was he standing on a dictionary?

cburns

01-31-2005, 05:33 PM

Wanna hear skinny? I'm 6'3" and 170 lbs. I lost 27 pounds due to mono a few months ago and have been unable to gain much of it back.:redneck

that actually happened to me my senior year of high school, cept i'm 6'4 so i looked even more gaunt. i finally got most of it back though, thank you college.

chaz171

01-31-2005, 05:35 PM

I'm 6-1. last time I was on the field for picture day with my kids...With the exception of Thomas and Lee ... i was peering over the rest of the squad.....

Those numbers are fudged as bad as Pro Wrestling's.....

OG4LIFE

01-31-2005, 05:43 PM

signing nakamura to me, is relatively pointless while we currently have crede and fields in the organization. if we were able to trade crede or fields for something valuable (as down as i am on joe, he has significant value at this point, moreso than fields, anyway), then nakamura might make sense.

even so, i am unsure of what else we need at this point?? a backup ss? crede and fields are worth more than that... i dunno. we have a surplus of OF at the big league level and in the minors, we really have no holes on our roster that would justify a trade...

i'm guessing that the sox interest in nakamura was early in the offseason. i suspect we are done adding at this point in the offseason. midseason or next offseason, i wouldn't be suprised to see crede (unless he finally lives up to expecations) or everett (midseason as he is FA in 2006) shipped off.

DrCrawdad

01-31-2005, 05:58 PM

I've long been an advocate for the Sox signining Japanese players. The only condition I have is that they be good players. I say thumbs down to this guy.

Mohoney

01-31-2005, 06:28 PM

The guy who wrote this article believes that he would only be signed to a minor league contract with an invite to camp. Very minimal gamble on a guy that's trying to chase down a dream.

If we're inviting Chris freaking Widger to camp, what is the harm in inviting this guy?

I would have tried to get the guy, but that's just me. I don't see how taking a look at the guy in Spring Training could hurt anything, and if he really thrives, he can be our regular until Fields is ready.

Who knows, with real pressure on his job, maybe Crede turns a corner. Maybe Willie turns a corner with Iguchi gunning for the 2B job. Or, if they continue to show no improvement, maybe we can get another good starting pitcher in a trade.

I can see how some might think this would constitute being foolish with our money, but I think that the potential upsides to this move are worth the risk.

SOX ADDICT '73

01-31-2005, 06:51 PM

First of all, isn't this guy getting a hard look from the Dodgers?

Secondly, his power numbers have declined pretty dramatically over the last couple of years, and IIRC, he plays in one of the smaller parks in Japan (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong).

And finally, as a high school art teacher, I'm constantly working with students who want to "just add a little more" to their paintings and sculptures, until what they end up with is an overworked mess. IMHO, Kenny has created a masterpiece, and should leave it alone.

minastirith67

01-31-2005, 06:54 PM

hehhehehehehehehehhehehe, I am laughing my arse off right now!!!!
Can you imagine the PR possibilities and the Coup this would be for the SOX?
The White SOX would become so popular (moreso than they are now)
in Japan and the other asian nations ........ wow.

In other news, Hangar18 just took his 1st lesson in Japanese, and reports lesson was much harder than he expected, But is very excited and promises to be able to converse with Shingo in the BullPen by Opening Day .........:gulp:

Actually, while we may get increased exposure in Japan, outside of Japan in East Asia we'd be unlikely to receive press. Most other people, especially the Chinese and Koreans, dislike the Japanese due to bad feelings left over from WWII. Plus baseball is only big in Japan, football is more popular in East Asia generally.

darklord23

01-31-2005, 06:57 PM

2 asian players i would like that very much

Whitesox029

01-31-2005, 07:14 PM

2 asian players i would like that very much
You want two asians? You got 'em.
Check my sig.

MRKARNO

01-31-2005, 07:22 PM

I'll take a pass on Nakamura. I dont think he's a real upgrade from Crede and the chances that Crede does better than him next year are pretty good.

JUribe1989

01-31-2005, 08:06 PM

Crede deserves one more chance, what if he does what Konerko did last year. He might come out and hit .275 with 30+ homers. That would be awesome.

SoxBoy14

01-31-2005, 08:30 PM

In other news, Hangar18 just took his 1st lesson in Japanese, and reports lesson was much harder than he expected, But is very excited and promises to be able to converse with Shingo in the BullPen by Opening Day .........:gulp:

Good luck I hear it's a hard language to learn. That would be awesome if you could talk with Shingo, he'd be really shocked and pleasently surprised.

Anyways I think Crede is a reliable thirdbaseman and I expect a better year from him than last seasons upsetting performance. Nakamura sounds like he could be a valuable asset to this team, but his playing time would be limited. Besides I'm content with the team how it is, but that doesn't mean I'd be upset if KW did sign him.

Brian26

01-31-2005, 08:42 PM

EDIT: Nakamura is actually 5'10", 203 pounds.

I wouldn't consider that fat by any means. The guy might be built like a brick ****house.

Jabroni

01-31-2005, 08:58 PM

I wouldn't consider that fat by any means. The guy might be built like a brick ****house.Nakamura looks a little pudgy to me...

Looking at his numbers and considering the curve to the major leagues from Japan, I doubt Nakamura will be any real upgrade to Crede.

Jabroni

02-01-2005, 12:17 AM

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.asp?leaguenum=&sport=MLB&id=8908Latest News Feb. 1, 2005 - 1:08 am et
The Dodgers won the negotiating rights to Japanese third baseman Norihiro Nakamura and will likely sign him to a minor league contract.
Nakamura will try to beat out Olmedo Saenz for a job as a right-handed bat off the bench and platoon first baseman. Working against him is that Saenz's $650,000 salary is guaranteed and the Dodgers probably won't carry both. It's likely that Nakamura's contract will contain an out clause allowing him to return to the Japan if he doesn't make the team.
Source: dodgers.mlb.com (http://dodgers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20050131&content_id=937748&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp)

So if he gets cut, does he go on MLB waivers? Can teams trade for the negotiating rights that the Dodgers have on him?

I hope the Dodgers cut him and we scoop him up for a song.

Jabroni

02-01-2005, 12:37 AM

So if he gets cut, does he go on MLB waivers? Can teams trade for the negotiating rights that the Dodgers have on him?

I hope the Dodgers cut him and we scoop him up for a song.Yes and yes.

BRDSR

02-01-2005, 12:42 AM

How would adding a player hurt the team? :?:

Well...it would mean taking another player off the roster who would have to be worse than Nakamura and fill the same general role...and that would be no one. Also, it would take away the $500k plus the cost of the right to negotiate with him away from a possible mid-season move to add salary. Doesn't seem like a good plan at this point.